The Untold
by attia.iram.1
Summary: Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar lived. Because he had to. His love was dead, but he had to live for an untold truth. AU.
1. Chapter 1

RHAEGAR

The royal party had arrived at the neck of the North. The mainly lords of the whole North were there to receive them. Lord Eddard Stark was one of them. He was the warden of the whole North and the lord of Winterfell. Fourteen years have passed and suddenly the king was in his largest kingdom. He was in the North and nobody dared to stop him. Things changed. He told himself. Last time when he was here, he was taking his life with him. He was taking his lady of love and beauty. He had taken her indeed. But she was not him with him now. "What would she have done if she would be here?" Rhaegar asked the whole North in silence and the North just growled at him with the disgusted cold. "She is not here, because you had taken her and North remembered that day. It remembered the days after that too. It remembered the scent of blood and steel,

And fire. He smiled a little bit. The North may have its bitter manifestations, but not its lords, as when he approached closer to the eyesight, all of them bent the knee.

Even lord Eddard of the house Stark.

"Your Grace, the North is yours." Lord Eddard said with the eyes toward the ground where he had bent that knee. It was perhaps the most fantastic thing about this whole scenario. Rhaegar thought. Because no way, he could have faced those eyes demanding the justice same as like all the mountains covered in snow around them.

"North is mine and not its people. Not the lady, I demanded all those years back." Rhaegar just thought.

"Rise Lord Eddard." King commanded with all of his courtesies. "And other lords of the North."

And with that he knew that the time of facing those eyes came. It is not that he had never faced them before. He had been facing them for previous fourteen years continuously. He had stopped only for six months now and that was the only reason of his arrival in this damned kingdom. But there was a huge difference between the eyes he faced and eyes he was going to confront now, but the difference was not in the terms of the appearance, the eye color, the orientation of eye lashes or anything like that. The difference was in the far worst thing.

Back at king's landing, the eyes had been innocent, and more importantly, unaware. They had looked up to him. But this pair of eyes was asking the question about redemption. They were telling the cruel stories of the battlefield and the reasons of that battle. They were asking for the justice that the king cannot give them. So as soon the eyes found their way of his face, King Rhaegar Targaryen flinched and looked toward the mountains and forests, where these eyes will never hunt him.

"As soon as we found the news of your arrival, we came to receive your grace. It is a pleasure to have you at our land…" Lord Eddard was speaking swiftly and Rhaegar thought that maybe he had recited it several time for this type of easiness.

"You mean His Grace's land." Prince Viserys spoke suddenly and just like every other time, he did not think too much before doing so. Back at Kings landing, he had spoken ill many times about the North and its lords. That's why, Rhaegar suggested his brother to stay there. Perhaps he should have ordered him instead of suggesting. He thought irritated, and glared at him. Lord Eddard never replied to that comment. It was the time for king's speech.

"I am pleased by your welcome Lord Stark. The bitterness of past cannot be dissolved in courtesies of this time, but I am assuring you that North is the safest kingdom of all seven kingdoms. My father killed your father and then he got doomed by his own protector. North tried to avenge his death and I am not complaining about that." The Targayian king was choosing his words more wisely than he had thought to do.

"I also know that it is more impossible than difficult to forget that cruel past, but I recommend you to try. I am doing the same here. I am here on a purpose." King said after a while. The expressions on Lord Eddard's face were a combination of sadness and confusion. But he did not express both in his words.

"For the past fourteen years, we are trying to do the same thing Your Grace and sometimes the scratching of the old wounds can make the healing faster. After the battle against your house, we have pledged our loyalty to the same house. You had won that battle and then forgave all the rebellions. It was your kindness and North remembers it well. This land is yours." Lord Eddard said while looking deeply toward Prince Viserys, who just ignored the unspoken protest.

"The truth to be told, we all are tired of that damned war. The reasons are still persistent, but the lost lives are nowhere to be found. We shall not have our home in the past and we must forget it before it retreats itself. It IS impossible your grace, but it is also the only thing that is right. I have pledged my loyalty and I will stay on it for the rest of my life. Winterfell and North are your lands and we are your people. For the same past fourteen years the royal family had never visited these lands and we are pleased that you have given us opportunity to serve your grace." Lord Eddard was more Avuncular than the king had ever imagined in his dreams. Rhaegar smiled.

"I have arranged a royal feast for rejoicing the happiness of the occasion, if it pleases your grace." At last Lord Eddard said with the same nice but stricter tone.

"I am pleased Lord Stark. But I will recommend you to not to make any hasty arrangements in that regard. I know that winter is coming and North has to prepare for it more importantly than any other kingdom. That's why I have brought some of the gifts from south." King Rhaegar said with a look toward the countless big carriages of meat, fruit and wheat. The kings had visited North before but nobody had bothered to bring such a huge gift before. For one moment, the lords of North were calculating the cost of the royal visit and for another moment, they were dreaming about a relieved winter, which they never had.

"I have focused greatly on south previous years and now I think the time of a prosperous North has come, just like all other kingdoms." There was a little bit lie in that statement if it has to be seen particularly. After winning the battle and after coronation, King Rhaegar Targaryen had brought a marvelous prosperity for all the people of his seven kingdoms. The law and rules were stricter and the justice and prosperity were the most definite things of the realm. He may never have visited the North in these years, but he had distributed the royal resources evenly in all the kingdoms.

"I am thankful for this kindness your grace. It is more than a Northerner can imagine having in winter. I will distribute these resources in the whole North." Lord Eddard said and knelt again and soon enough all other Northerner lords joined him.

"Rise my lords of North. We have had enough kneeling for one visit." King said and all of them obeyed.

"Your Grace has said that he is on some purpose. Kindly acknowledge us, so we can help." Lord Eddard said with the same grim look he had before, even the big carriages of food did not help to change his mood, but Rhaegar knew the reason. He had said it before and never going to say it again. The tension between dragons and wolves had become a natural thing, just like the winter. It can never be denied, but it can be ignored. He thought.

"Yes, indeed, my lord there is a purpose, but I can hardly think that any of you can help in this regard. The problem is not of that much concern, but it was the main reason of my arrival." He said thoughtfully.

"My son has come North some days ago and he never returned up till now. I am here to take him back." That was the revelation that disturbed all the lords, who were present at that moment. Everybody knew that there was only one prince left after the war. If the crown prince is missing and if something had happened to him in North than North is, indeed, in danger, even if the kings pleads its safety for a thousand times.

"Your Grace, we never knew that Prince Jon is in North. We never had the news before. We also never saw any royal party before this day." Lord Eddard was more worried than concerned.

"Worry not my lord. My son has always preferred to travel solely. He asked me one day that he wants to see North and I allowed it. That was a mistake, I know that. I thought he is asking to see Winterfell or any other land of the south of the wall. I never imagined that his version of North is beyond the wall." This was another shock for the whole Northerner party. The Others may had gone for thousands of the years, but the dangers of the North of the wall cannot be described in some courteous words. The land of the North of the wall is not for the high lords and more importantly not for the crown prince of the seven kingdoms.

"I have received words of his wellness the previous week. And I am here to take him back to the kings landing. Your crown prince is my only son Lord Stark, and as a father you can understand my rushed arrival." Lord Eddard had understood. He had lost his father, brother, and sister in that damned war, and the king had lost his wife, father and all the children except one son, who was actually born on the last day of the war. There were only four Targaryens left in this world, the king, his brother Prince Viserys, sister Princess Daenerys and the crown prince Jon Targaryen.

"As a father I can understand that if the number does not matter. One son or ten, a father's concern can brought a man up here in the North. We should arrange some companionship for going to the North of the wall." Lord Eddard said with the same grimness and this time the worried expressions were more dominant. If anything happened to the prince, it can summon another war.

"I don't think it is needed." For the first time after her arrival princess Daenerys spoke. "I've sent my searching party and they had reported that prince Jon will be here in one or two days with them. We are here, because otherwise he would have never listened to that searching party. We should wait here for two days and if he never shows up in these days, then we can go beyond the wall for him." Her voice was calmed but concerned. It was her, who was the most worried in these past weeks of Jon's absence, but after having the word from that so-called searching party, she looked more relieved than to presume.

Lord Eddard was anything but satisfied, but he never said any word in protest. "Very well then, Your Grace and his royal party can wait in the castle of Winterfell. You must be tired of this journey." Lord Eddard offered and the king nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

EDDARD

"I've never heard that a royal party arrive at some place and slept without the feast." Catylen had said the same concern over a hundred times in a row now, only in different versions of sentences.

"Maybe the king is still furious and that is why he did not command his royal party to have the proper meal." This was another version. Ned can understand her fears. He had the same sort of fears but never acknowledged them with words. He had commanded his wife and servants to prepare for the royal feast, and the many of the king's guards and other companions were at the feast, but not the king himself, not his sister or brother. Prince Viserys had ordered a meal and a Northerner whore in his chambers. On the other hand, the king and the princess never said a word.

He had invited them himself and both of them smiled and said that they are tired and do not have the strength to join them. They had thanked him too, but that was all.

"Maybe the king is worried about his son." Catylen had thrown a guess.

"He did not seem to be that much worried." Ned said while staring to the roof.

"What you mean he did not seem to be? His son has gone to the North of the wall. I would have ripped that wall from its ground if any of my sons would have gone there for six weeks." Ned smiled on that comment. The truth has never been told like this. He kissed his beloved lady wife on forehead, which was placed on his broad shoulder.

Next day, however the things were different. King and his siblings broke their fast with the Stark family and although there was no feast but everyone was in a happy mood. In their own version of happiness. Prince Viserys had complained about cold and dampness. Princess Dany asked Cat about the ways of Northerner ladies and King smiled thoughtfully at their conversation.

The five of the Stark children have never been seen so obedient. They were sitting, eating and talking. All of them, without a single phrase of fight. There were no complaints about climbing or 'Arya horse face' comments. Lord Eddard was relieved beyond exception.

"Was there any word from your searching party last night Dany?" King asked with the same thoughtful look.

"Yes brother, it seems like they are having some trouble in bringing him back. But don't worry. I'm making special notes for them." Dany said with her consistent nice speech. But Ned was anything but satisfied. There were no ravens last night, also no riders. How she would have received that word? Ned asked to himself and saw the same question on his wife's face.

"Your Grace, I think we should send a raven to Lord Commander Mormont. May be he will help with his ranging party." Ned said because he could not have just trusted on that 'searching party' and was actually worried about that damned crown prince, who somehow felt that it is safe to be on that land. Prince Jon Targaryen was of ten and four years and lads of that age try to do stupid stunts of bravery. Ned would not have given a single thought about any usual lad from seven kingdoms. But it was the prince for damned's sake. He had a little knowledge about the lad, if some say so.

When he had arrived at Kings Landing, he received a lot of news about the war. The first one was about the battle of trident. Rhaegar Targaryen had won that and now was coming back to Kings Landing, where his father was murdered by Kingslayer, his Lannister guard in front of Ned's eyes. After the arrival of the Prince or soon to be King, was the news of his sister's death. Nobody had known the cause of the death, but Ned was certain that is not the prince himself. Layana had left a note to her beloved brother about her willingness in that abduction. She was in love with the Prince Rhaegar. The prince was in love with her. "A fever took her" said one of the maids, who were appointed for taking care of her. He was furious at that time, but being furious was all he could do.

The coronation happened in front of him. King Rhaegar pardoned Kingslayer and declared that his father was actually mad and nobody could have helped him. For one, because he was the king. For two , because nobody can tell the king that he is mad. Things ran swiftly afterward. Prince, No, King Rhaegar asked him how he wanted to end it. "Enough of the lives had lost Lord Stark. If you want revenge of your father and brother from a son of their murderer, then you can continue this war. Your friend Robert had asked me for pardon and I have given him that. It is my turn now. I am asking pardon for what my father did to your father and peace of the seven kingdoms in return? And if you cannot give me what I am asking then we can end this in single combat." Ned had looked for a longer time on the new king.

A king, who was asking pardon.

A story of pain was written across his face. The Lannister guard, the mountain had killed his wife and children. And the Lannisters swore that they had nothing to do with it. King Rhaegar had sentenced the mountain death and swung the sword. There should be some relief on his face. Ned thought deliberately at the moment. He had taken the revenge. But there was not any kind of relief.

The king was offering him the same kind of false relief.

He was asking to kill someone for taking the revenge. At that time Eddard Stark calculated his options. He was not sure about the fate of that single combat. He knew that the King is fearsome fighter, but he also knew about his own fighting skills.

There would have been tough match. Eddard thought at this moment on the dining table while looking at the consistent sad smile across the face of the King. The same face, he had seen all those years back. And he could tell without a single doubt that the pain had not been lessened. He had tried to hide his pain on that day and he is still trying. Ned also had wondered about the main reason of that pain. It was surely about his lost children and wife, but there was something else too.

That was the toughest decision of his life. And it was right. After returning to the North, he had received many raven about the news on the Kings Landing, that how after his departure, Lord Tywin Lannister suggested of his daughter's hand for him, which the king refused instantly. The king never got married again. Someone asked about the heir of the iron throne and he declared his newly born son, who he named Jon Targaryen, as the crown prince of the seven kingdoms.

"I am not sure about that Lord Stark. Prince Jon will come to this side of the wall, as soon as he will know about our arrival." Dany replied in place of her brother.

Eddard had never given much thought about why king chose a Northerner name for his only surviving son, but now he was thinking about it. Why that prince is on the North of the wall? Another disturbing thought. Why would he care to come back after getting the news of the arrival of the royal party in North? Eddard nodded on the comment of Princess and focused on his meal.


	3. Chapter 3

DAENERYS

After breaking the fast, everyone seemed to be interested in doing some boring tasks of their lives. Lady Stark and other Northerner ladies invited her to be in the sewing lessons with their daughters, but that was more than to bear for Dany, so she just apologized and came into the balcony for seeing the white hills of the North.

Her brothers went to attend the northerner council for knowing the current problems of the Kingdom and to give them King's justice. However, Dany was certain that only her one brother, the king, will be interested in this phrase. Her other brother would only make the situation worse for the people who demand justice and the person, who wants to give them that thing. She always wondered about this kind of behavior from Viserys. She has seen kindness and lovely behavior of Rhaegar and also of her nephew, who was actually six or seven moons older than her, but they were the best friends.

On the other hand, Viserys had always seemed to get troubled from every living thing of this world. Many times in her life, she had noticed his hatred for the innocent people, who pleaded for some food or shelter. She has listened to the Royal Septa and other people of the Red Keep about the war and about her father, the so-called mad king. She wondered if Viserys got this trait from him. But she was also not sure about whether the Royal Septa tells the truth or not, because nobody in her family was there to assure her. Only living person in her family, who had spent time with her father, was her brother, Rhaegar Targaryen, but he never talked about it.

Viserys, on the other hand, loved talking about it, surely in the absence of the King, because once he had tried and saw the consequences.

There were many other things, which Viserys did a lot in the absence of their older brother. One very common example was hitting Dany. He had tried this also in front of the King and the consequences were more than to handle for both of them. She was only six years, when it happened, but she still can see the horror in Viserys's eyes.

He had told her that according to the Targaryen dynasty, they are going to be wed. She was only three and ten years old, but Viserys had told her everything about what he will do after their marriage.

"When we will be married little sister, we will have a lot of children. The Dragon children and not some forged wolf spawn in the skin of the Dragon." He had told her many times in privacy because no way he dared to speak about Jon this way in front of other people. And Dany thought may be just listening to him is making her also a culprit of this conversation. Once or Twice, she thought to talk about this to the King, but she never gained enough courage.

Rhaegar was kind to her, just like he was kind to all the other living persons around him. Her oldest brother always seemed to be sad and thinking something important, something that no one will ever know except him. He had given her and Viserys the love of both parents, the love she never knew because her parents were dead. She was the reason of the death of her mother. Viserys had told her that too. She once asked Rhaegar for conformation,

"Our mother died because it was her time, Dany and before going she gave me the loveliest gift of the whole universe, a princess and a friend, who is just like her. Promise me, you'll never think about it again." And she made that promise and despite Viserys massive sulking, she could not blame herself for a single instant after that. She started enjoying her life with her oldest brother and nephew. She had thanked all the gods, which have been introduced to her by Royal Septa, for having Rhaegar and Jon and even Viserys in her life.

They were her only family and she wanted to make them happy. Although this was very difficult in case of Rhaegar, who would just smile on her intentionally stupid jokes and questions. Jon, on the other hand, was the spark of her life. Both of them have played their whole childhood in the walls of Red Keep. Sometimes, even Viserys had joined them in their games. Those were the best days of her life. But then one day Jon thought it's a good idea to visit all the strange places of this earth.

After spending sometimes there, she felt the warmness of someone's eyes on her face. Suddenly she looked toward them and realized that Robb Stark was watching her with all the curiosity of this world.

"My Princess, you're looking exquisite today." He said after getting caught and Dany was impressed beyond the realization about his swift escape from this awkward jiffy.

"Thank You my lord. I saw your sword practice this morning. You're an exceptional sword fighter." She returned the courtesies in the same fashion.

"And also the practice of Lord Brandon Stark with arrows. He is also a very good archer of his age." She said and Robb never replied. After some time they both started laughing.

"He will be good after some practice. He is a Stark. All Starks are good archers." After sharing that sweet laugh, young lord stark was again in his usual mood of the North.

"I am certain that he will. The Starks are good people and generous." She said with a smile. She had heard the stories of a Stark girl, and how she died at love. Her chamber maids had sang the songs of that love with her brother over a countless times and every time after singing, they had vouched for the love, same as like this couple, because they never knew the appalling ending of that story.

"The Starks are the people of cold. Many times the southerners claimed to understand our love, but in veracity, they cannot." The voice of Lord Eddard made both of them trembled. Although a part of this quiver was the cold too, to whom lord Eddard had just acknowledged.

"Lord Stark, I thought you will be at the council." She did not know what to say to overcome her fear. She was certain that his temper is the consequence of having Prince Viserys at the council.

"I was at the council, which has ended just a moment ago. His Grace is looking for you." He said and Dany could not comprehend what was more cold, the wind or the mood of Lord Eddard. "Robb escort Princess Daenerys to Library." He ordered his son and was gone as swiftly as he had come.

"This way princess." Robb was already on his way of obedience.

The library was full of all kinds of old books. Robb left as soon as they entered after bending the knee to the king, who was sitting in an ancient chair and a heavy book was placed in front of him.

"Your Grace is alone here, I see." She sat on the other side of the table.

"Only if you can see my dear sister. A person can never be alone in a library. Thousands of great celebrities whisper in your ears the things you'll never know outside, in that oblivious and unconscious world. You'll, perhaps, become lost sometimes in these whispers and finding a way to home became the voyage more dreadful than the journey of a pirate in a storm. And the only thing that would make that journey interesting…"

"Is your wish to go home." Dany completed her brother's sentence with a smile.

"Yes, you do that. People think all those who spent their life in a library are hoodwinks. Back was a time, when I'd have smashed anyone's head who had dared to bring me out of Royal library. But those were different times." He was lost but at the same time was more present there than her.

"Well, you can smash them even right now. You're the king. I think you can do that." Dany said just to lighten up the mood.

"Well, nobody would dare to bring me out now. So why we need smashing, right?" He shrugged.

"I think Viserys would disagree." She brought the topic. She had to.

A flicker of concern and anger was evident on her brother's face, but that was momentarily. "I don't know what to do about that jab any more, Dany. Why just he can't let the world be?" And with that she knew all of her fears were true.

"The tension between him and Lord Stark was evident in today's council. I would prefer to go back to Kings Landing as fast as I can, but that brat son of mine never shows up. How much you think it will take him to be here." He was asking and Dany's concerns had been shifted to another side.

"I think they will be here on morrow Your Grace. I had talked to Jonaero this morning and he said there was a storm last night, that's why they're late. Or otherwise they would have already been here." Dany said with concern.

"Let them take their time. After his return, it will be my time to handle things." King said and Dany shuddered.

"What will you do with him?" She asked suddenly.

"He is my son, Dany. What you think I'll do with him?" He asked in the same tone but somehow she could not be satisfied.

"He asked you before going." Dany tried one more time.

"He lied to me before going. Now enough of this talk. Look what I've found here for you." He slid the large book toward her. "It's a book written in old Valyria about how the first men trained their dragons after finding and hatching their eggs. Some high Maester of Citedal has translated it into the common tongue." He informed her with a serious face.

"You.. You think I need this?" Somehow she became nervous.

"No. I just think you should read this. Just in case. This library has three copies of this book. Although, I never understand why, the North has never seen dragons. But I think that Lord Stark will let us borrow a copy." He said and she just smiled.

"I will try to read it." She pulled the book toward her a little bit more, "Just in case." She smiled and he joined her in that kind and affectionate smile.

GOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOT

Note: Many Thanks for your lovely appreciation and reviews. I will try to keep up according to your expectations. Do tell me if something is wrong with this or other chapters...

GOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOT


	4. Chapter 4

EDDARD

Lord Eddard of house Stark was not the man to believe on signs and sigils. He never was. But today while standing at the middle valley of Winterfell, he knew something is not in its right place. Although to be sure nobody is talking here about the unexpected snowfall of that morning. May be I am being a dupe here. He had seen one or two kings in his life, and none was as courteous as the king, who was standing beside him in that hilly area covered in all snow.

He was fast asleep, when Cat shook his shoulder boldly to let him know about the arrival of the Prince. He commanded his whole family to gather there for receiving him. Though now he was not sure because weather was worsening moment after moment.

His children were wrapped in furs and cloaks fastened with the silver Direwolves and were yawning, if not waiting. He smiled at them just to be stronger for them and for himself. His beloved wife was standing alongside his daughters and was looking as much tired as any other of their family members. The sun was now finally trying to show up but the snow was making it as much difficult as much it can. The sullen face of Arya was more than to let any man feel fear about the corollary of her early morning call. On the other hand, Sansa was more than happy for standing there. All those songs about the princes were now going to be the reality, because finally a prince was going to show up on their doorsteps. She was happy and dressed more importantly for the occasion.

Robb, Bran and Rickon were uninterested in any other type of task except standing and staring at their father's face with the corner of their eyes. Concerned but doomed in his thoughts, Lord Eddard was looking for some horses in the far distance across the snow. It was almost half an hour past, and no trails of those damned horses were visible.

It was sudden realization. For sometime Ned thought he had gone sleep because the voice could have been nothing but a dreadful nightmare. He looked toward his family members, who were trying to realize the same thing but were failing in front of his eyes. There was a shriek of something sharp and alarming but at that moment, it was almost impossible to comprehend the voice or even its source.

Ned suddenly looked toward the King and Princess for conformation, and their faces were as calm as they could have been at that moment. On his other side, Rickon was trying to climb over Robb due to filled terror and Bran was also leaning toward her mother.

Once, twice and then it happened again. This time the voice was even closer. Ned stood strongly on his place. Whatever it was, the Targaryens were not seemed to be troubled by it and so no Stark will be troubled. He thought stubbornly.

Third time the voice approached like it was coming from under his feet and he looked down for making sure. And when he looked upward, he almost could not believe on his sight. At first, there was only one. A huge creamy white lizard landed just ten or so feet ahead of them. Ned saw closely and noticed the beautiful golden scales on the whitish hard flesh. And then he realized he has to protect his children. It was a real dragon in front of him and dragons are known for one and only one thing.

They breathe fire.

Ned was just about to console his family within his arms, when, a second landing occurred just two or three feet afar the first one. It was the green one with bronze marking. Princess Dany slowly came forward and held her hand to touch the beasts. Both dragons looked and shrieked, which made her laugh, the reason of which Eddard could not understand for a single bit. After sometime, she approached for the creamy one and it snuffled its head across her hands.

Dany was holding the head of the creamy dragon like a mother holds her children's. She was kissing the creamy dragon, when the green dragon came forward for its share of love from the princess.

Suddenly the third dragon landed in front of them. It was all black with horrible blood red horns. This dragon, however, landed more gently than the previous ones. It also has landed far away from the other two. Due to snow, Ned could not see it clearly.

"Dany, come back." King Rhaegar ordered his sister in a strict tone. Ned had to look toward him for conformation because he had never heard such tone from king. Ned looked and saw the grim and tough expressions on his face.

On the other hand, the unspoken plead on the face of Dany was more than to notice lightly. She hesitated for a moment and then came back with dropped shoulders. But before doing so, she looked toward Ned in some indistinguishable way that Ned could not understand. She looked at him like she was asking something from him but at the same time; she knew that he could not give it.

Ned focused his eyes again on newly came dragon and was more than astonished to believe that there was a rider on his back.

A dragon rider.

Beside him Sansa gasped in a wonderful tone. A scene of gigantic dragon is one thing and then seeing him carrying a human was totally another.

After a moment the rider slowly jumped on the snowy ground. From tip to toe, he was covered in Black. A mop of curly black hairs was the only thing that was outside from his heavy black cloak.

He was coming toward them. And moment after moment, the figure was becoming clearer and clearer.

At a certain distance, Ned saw the face of that rider. And at that very moment he had to blink, because there was no way.

The face was stranger to him absolutely and yet at the same time was more familiar than his own children. The rider was a boy of early teenager years. He had somber expressions on his face, but even in that cloudy sight Ned knew what the face would be looked like if it has a smile.

He had seen that smile before. The smile that was not present there.

The distance got reduced further and now he could see the eye color.

"No. It cannot be." Ned said to himself quietly.

In all those years of their hide and seek plays, he had seen this face enormous time. Sometimes behind the Great Hall curtains and sometimes under the table.

"How it can be?" He asked to himself.

"Could it be a dream." He replied his own question.

"The rider was, now, closer than the distance of two or more feet. Though his direction was not toward him. After one of two further steps, he paused right in front of the King.

He stood in front of the King with the expressions, which could not be comprehended by any human of this earth. It lasted only after a moment because now the expressions were clearer to assume anything false. The boy was surely searching for appropriate words.

"Hello Father, how are you?" He asked after finding the correct words according to him.

It is not possible. A Targaryen prince has black hairs. It cannot be. It must not be. But it was, right in front of him. The boy with typical Stark features was calling King Rhaegar Targaryen, Father. A person with hairs as white as the snow itself and eyes as indigo as the wild Lavender flower. Beside him was standing his sister, having same color of hairs and eyes. The coal eyes of the boy could have proved him wrong, but the confidence in them was telling another story.

"When Viserion told me that you were calling me back to King's Landing, I was in the middle of… something. I wanted to come as soon as the splashing of that wild beast, but the weather was not in our favor. The storm was everywhere on the north of the wall and we have to take shelter in a cave. And…" Suddenly he stopped talking. Ned didn't know why, but it was just a moment's manifestations to know the reason. The grim expressions on King's face could have stopped the bravest of the braves to talk further.

The boy looked downward like he was thinking something else to escape from the stare but he never could.

"I know I've made a terrible mistake. I should have told you before going and come back on your first call. I…" He said cautionary but the intensity of King's glare could not be lessened.

"I am prepared for any punishment ahead." He said confidently.

Just a moment ago, Ned was planning to save his kids from the dragons landed in front of him. He was planning the same thing even now. However, it was not his kids, who needed saving now. It was the stranger, who has just come in their life, but he was not unrelated. He was his blood, a little wolf pup. The danger was not a dragon this time. It was the dragon king.

The king was not scolding or doing anything harsh to the boy. But that silent glare was more than to handle. Ned was feeling the intensity of the fierce look, because he had known the king as polite and kind to all the living creatures. But at that moment he could not know him.

Ned knew he had to save the boy. That was the appeal in Princess's eyes. She was asking for his help and now he was more than willing to provide it.

"What happened to the foot?" When Ned was on his edge to get involved in the situation, the king asked the boy. At first Eddard could not understand the question.

Only a parent can see the hidden pain of children, when the children, themselves, try to hide it. Ned realized that despite the confident gate and posture, the boy was standing on his one foot, while the other was beckoned behind the stable foot.

Any normal person could have just avoided this posture but a father had seen the hidden pain and now was asking for the reason despite all of his rage toward the boy.

"Nothing…

Nothing had happened to the foot. The foot is just fine.." The concern in his father's voice encouraged the boy to smile for a little bit, but the hesitation in his voice was evident of his present lie. The grim expressions on King's face were back and then the boy lowered his gaze.

"An arrow." He said after a pause.

"Whose arrow?" King asked with strict tone to discourage further lies.

"A.. Wildling." The boy said hesitantly with eyes still on ground.

There was no reply from his father.

"I know I was stupid enough to get struck and I should have been more careful. I am sorry. Tell me what should I do to pay for my mistakes?" The boy was courageous, Stupid, but courageous.

"We will talk about it later, in King's Landing." The grim expressions were all gone. There was nothing but plain face and affectionate eyes.

"Now go and greet Lord Eddard Stark and his family." King signaled with his eyes and the boy obeyed as fast as he can. The confidence on his face was back with a shining smile toward Princess, who was standing between the king and Stark family.

Before approaching to them, he hugged Dany summarily lifting her upward in his tight embrace. Dany returned the hug with the same sort of intensity and smile.

"And that's how you escape the grand glower from the King, himself." He whispered into her ear but Ned heard due to closeness. Dany just smiled and let him go toward Stark family.

"Lord Eddard Stark, I've heard so much about you. It's good to finally meet you." The boy said bowing courteously, and then held a hand toward, which Ned accepted after seeing him closely. There were traces of stubble, which were making him to look like almost-a-man but it could not hide the innocent expressions of a child behind it, just like his oldest boy, Robb. But the real focus of Lord Eddard was the eyes and the nose and whole long face. The boy was more northerner than any of his children. Though, he was a tough competition for his daughter Arya in all kinds of resemblance.

After a certain time, he realized that he is staring at him and released his hand awkwardly. The boy smiled knowingly. "I've met Uncle Benjen at Castle Black. He stared at me longer than you. Though, I don't know the reason." He said and leaned toward Lady Catelyn to kiss her hand. She was also looking astonished but greeted the boy with a smile.

"Greetings Cousins. My name is Jon. And you must be Robb." He embraced Robb and then leaned toward Bran but not missed to muss Arya's hairs before going forward for Rickon. Then, he kissed Sansa on her hand just like her lady mother.

The boy called Benjen, Uncle and his children, cousins. Was this a joke? Or was the king playing some cruel game with him. Lord Eddard of house Stark could not understand.

GOT


	5. Chapter 5

BRAN

The archery lessons have always been tough.

If that's the correct word for it.

How one person can hit a target several feet away from him? Bran could not understand. Today was normal just like any other day but it was not actually. Today, he had to hit the target. His father and mother was standing in the balcony and looking with demonstrative eyes. Bran knew that he must not disappoint them. It was not just another day when his parents had time for watching his lessons. It was the day when the prince was there in the practice yard.

Tough, he was surely not focusing on the any of them, right? He was focusing on his bent elbow and hand holding the stretched cord of the bow and an arrow within it. He was focusing on the wooden circle in front of him. Prince Jon and his brother Robb were standing just one foot away from him. Rickon was sitting on the nearby drum. Not long ago, it was his place. He hated Rickon for it. He hated Prince for being there. He hated Robb for asking him to be there. "I mean, how two persons can become such good friends in two days." Bran asked to himself while focusing on the target. If someone seriously call it focusing.

His heartbeat was increasing with every moment of force, which he was inserting on the bow to stretch its cord. And within a sudden rush, Bran didn't know how, the arrow got loose. And obviously because the arrow was not seeing the target, it struck the nearby drum and not the actual damnable wooden circle. He dropped his shoulders. There were hints of amusement on every face, but nobody was saying anything.

At last Prince came forward. "Go on Bran. Keep practicing. Your Father's watching." He said and they both looked upward for a single instant, where his parents were standing. "I know you would do it." He smiled for the affectionate words from Prince or more accurately his cousin. On the day when prince came to Winterfell, father told him and his siblings about his aunt Layana and also about Prince Jon, who was her only boy. Sansa was more than excited. A real Prince is her real cousin. She was telling the stories to Jeyene Poole and other girls and was not to be stopped by anyone.

"I know the burden, when fathers stared on you in lessons, but focus on the target." He was focusing on it first time also, if someone understands. But he cannot blame the overly nice prince. He was nice to all of them. At the moment Bran knew he did not hate the prince. He hated himself.

Bran wanted to join the Kingsguard and he knew if he will ask the prince, he will talk to his father. He wanted to tell him that it was not his father, which bothers him. It was the prince himself, because if he sees how Bran is not good at archery, he would not let him to protect his father.

With the greater focus of this time, Bran again pulled the cord of the bow and he was about to lose when another arrow from nowhere hit the target. He turned around and saw Arya bending courteously toward him. There was laughter everywhere, and Bran did not know for certain that if the Prince was laughing too or not, but he was. At that moment Bran decided he did not hate himself, because there was a treacherous girl in his family for that task. Bran jumped across the slender boundary to chase her and give her the lesson of a life time. The laughter of every human in the yard followed him following Arya.

After sometime, his mother prepared him for going with his father, who was about to behead a man. Ser Rodrick had caught that man across a small holdfast in the hills and reported his father. His father's ward Theon Greyjoy had told him about the dreadful scenery and was suspicious that Bran would vomit after seeing it. Bran, on the other hand, was more certain than to expect. Although, Theon has told many other things. One of them was the fact that King had abducted and raped their auntie and Prince Jon is actually a bastard.

Prince had requested father to let him go with them. The King had ordered him to stay at the castle, and had left to see the other northern castles specially the castle of Dreadfort on the request of Lord Roose Bolton along with his siblings. This confinement was one sort of punishment, but prince had never looked so bothered about it until this day. His father had expressed his concerns before the prince.

"Father told me to stay in Winterfell. I am sure the holdfast is in the Winterfell. Also we're coming before his grace." He had a point, just like he had it when he would have asked his father about going to the north of the Wall. Bran's father nodded reluctantly and ordered Hullen, the master of horses, to prepare a mount for the prince.

This day was getting excited moment after moment. He thought bitterly because he had never seen a man getting beheaded before. And now he was going to see it in front of prince. What would happen if he vomits there?

The ride to the holdfast was oblivious with all sorts of talks. Robb, Jon and Theon were talking something and laughing in between for no reason. After getting there, he saw the man's beheading. His brother told him to not look away and he never did. It was not that much difficult, if truth to be told. Bran was just glad that it was not his head for all that matters. On their way back, Robb said the man died bravely but Jon was not agreed. "It was not courage. This one was dead of fear. You could see it in his eyes." Jon said.

"What fear?" Bran had to ask.

"When I was beyond the wall, I heard people talking about things like to fear from them." He said looking on the snowy hills of Winterfell, and Bran could not decide if the prince is trying to frighten him. He just padded his pony to walk beside them but with a greater distance. They were almost done passing through the forest when he heard Robb's call for his father.

His father and his companions followed with him to see the disaster that his son has found along with prince. It was a dead she-wolf as big as anyone could have laid eyes upon. Bran had to look away because it was frightening him. It was when he saw a little grey bundle in the arms of his brother. The pup was a tiny ball of fur, its eyes still closed. It nuzzled blindly against Robb's chest as he cradled it, searching for milk among his leathers, making a sad little whimpery sound. Bran reached out hesitantly. "Go on," Robb told him. "You can touch him." Bran gave the pup a quick nervous stroke, then turned as Prince said, "Here you go." Jon put a second pup into his arms. "There are five of them." Bran sat down in the snow and hugged the wolf pup to his face. Its fur was soft and warm against his cheek.

After investigating the dead body of the beast, his father and other companions decided to kill the pups. Theon Greyjoy was the most excited for doing the task.

"Father, please?" Bran had to ask because Theon was just about to snatch the direwolf pup from his hands to kill it. He did not want it to die.

"No son, it is wise to kill them now. Better a swift death than a hard one from cold and starvation." His father's grim expressions were deepened with some uncertain trouble.

"Lord Stark." Suddenly the voice of prince came and Bran knew he would, somehow, save the pups because that's what princes do right? Save the weaklings. He may command them to let them go with the royal party. The pups would grow at Red Keep. But Bran also did not want these pups to let go. He was saddened by the thoughts.

"There are five pups," he told Father. "Three male, two female." Bran could not understand the logic and so was his father.

"What of it my Prince?" His father asked affectionately but more formally than to call his nephew.

"You have five children," Jon said. "Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. Your children were meant to have these pups. They have wolf blood in them; they will keep these pups with good care and training." He said and Bran decided he loves his cousin more than his brothers. His suggestion was the best. In that way, nobody would kill the pups and he could keep the one with silvery grey fur and yellow eyes, which was now making low whisperings against Bran's chest.

He looked toward his father with hope and saw a fainted hint of smile there.

"If it may be said. You have wolf blood in you too my lord Prince. You do not want one for yourself?" Lord Eddard asked and Jon shrugged. "I want them to live more than I want one for myself." He said and his lord father turned toward his two sons. "Keep them, then. Jory, Desmond, gather up the other pups. It's time we were back to Winterfell. The king would have already arrived in the castle." He said and Bran made a delighted noise for victory.

On their way back Bran thanked Jon, who smiled back but his attention was not on him thoroughly. After one or two minutes, Prince Jon turned his horse back to the forest and came back with a white bundle in his arms. Bran looked closely and saw the pup with pure white fur, just like the Targaryen's hairs and red eyes, just like the dragon, onto which Jon was riding the other day.

"An albino," Theon Greyjoy said with sardonic pleasure. "This one will die even faster than the others. Bran did not know how much it would make Theon happy, if any of these pups dies.

"You look prettier when you do not speak Lord Grejoy. This one belongs to me and it will not die." For the first time, Bran realized the definite tone of princes in his cousin's voice. He was happy for Jon, who would have to share these direwolves with them.


	6. Chapter 6

THE LADY CAPTAIN

The winds will be in our favor. She assured herself. They have to. Or otherwise we will turn our favor where the winds will take it. It was a long voyage. Yet not as long as she had before in her life.

"The winds are good for the fortnight at least. We must sail before it." She said to one of her ship companions, a Braavosi girl of nine and ten with dark eyes and pointed nose. The lady captain has always suspicions for this girl, but she never had once expressed them in her words. Somehow she knew that the girl knew of these suspicions too, but they never have talked about it. There is nothing to talk about it. The girl seemed to accept it and the captain does not have any other choice, because she needed strong crew to pass the narrow sea. And the girl had a swordbelt on her hips and a dagger in her boot. That was enough for the captain.

Perhaps she was just being inquisitive because of the hatred, the girl expressed for the dragons.

And for the Dragonlords.

She claimed to have the blood of the Moonsingers, who had founded this city five hundred years before Aegon's landing. Her hatred for Dragons was reasonable. They had left their homes to be free from the fear of Dragon slavery. But it was a long time ago. The hatred of mainly people of Braavos for Dragons has been diluted by the time, but not for this girl. She would argue against it for the rest of the days.

The captain, on the other hand, had loved dragons. 'Had' it is? She thought with a bitter smile. The time would do that to a person. How many years have been passed since…

Since…

She 'loves' dragons. She reminded herself and all that she had done. All that, she is ashamed of was, for a dragon.

A dragon, she loved and a dragon she had grown inside her for nine moons. What she will not give to hold that dragon in her hands again? That little bundle of smooth skin and soft bones. A tuft of black hairs and face as long as it can be for a round small babe of one hour. That little dragon was her reflection. He hadn't opened his eyes, when she handed him to Ser Arthur Dayne, so she did not know about the color of his eyes.

"Dark Indigo, as they are. The poison of the deadliest snake has indigo in it." Said the Braavosi girl once about the eyes of the dragons.

"Why she hated the dragons so much?" Lady Captain got irritated.

For she never knew no dragon in her life. It was me who has seen them. Indigo, Yes they are, but not poison. And if that is how the poison looks, she will drink all of it in one breath. Perhaps she already did. She smiled again at the thought.

And died a hundred deaths afterwards.

But she would definitely not tell this to the girl with dark eyes and hatred for dragons. But sometimes, she would tell her about the charms of the dragons. She would argue about how the dragons have ruled on Seven Kingdoms kindly.

Not all of the dragon kings were kind though, but not all of them were cruel too. A dragon king has sentenced her father to death. He had burned him and then hanged his brother. His valiant brother, who never knew the truth. But what if he knew? The question has stained her nights with fear and shame. Always it comes to her when she closed her eyes and always it is the first thing to break her fast.

But she was not going to tell this either. Silence was her life now and silence was her destiny.

"If we are aught to sail this earlier, why we had landed here on first place?" The girl asked. The girl, who hated the dragons.

"Because we have some business here." She answered looking toward a distant figure coming toward them. Today he wore another mask. Or another face. The Faceless Men had two passions, one killing and two to change faces. But somehow The Captain knew them from their looks. The twitching beneath the eyes never changes too much or the muscles around the cheeks. Once you knew one or two Faceless Men by the heart, you would start noticing the similarities between next and the previous face. The face would change, no doubt. But who knew how many faces have the same twitching.

"My Dearest Lady Nissa of the StrangeLands." He bowed before her, like she was a queen of the Seven Kingdoms.

"How comes my lady remembers this unworthy?" The next question arrived as the first salutations.

She would have punched him, but she did not move a little bit, just froze the glare on him.

The girl, who hated the dragons, was behind her. She was the only one she had dragged from the Ragman's Harbor and now was standing outside the House of Black and White.

Captain unbuttoned her heavy rucksack full with gold coins and tossed it, which the Stranger caught with two hands.

"A worthy Payment. For a worthy task, I'm sure. Should I be surprised?" He asked another question with the same honey tone.

"No you shouldn't. The name and time will be mine, you say. This is half payment. The rest will be after the deed is done." She said with the same stern face.

"How witty is my Lady Nissa?" He said after a pause and thunderous smile. "The time can be as long as this unworthy life, or My Lady Captain's life, if not to be too rude."

"You are rude Maeghir, or whatever is your name now. Though you will not have to fear about that. The time will be soon enough. Only It is not Now." She said with the same calmness that had endured her from the beginning of her voyage.

"As it can My Lady. May I have the name?" He asked.

"Yes You may." She said and turned her back to go toward the path from where she had come.

A heartbeat had missed. Then the other. She would give the name another time. She thought. But she knew the rules of the Faceless Men. She had to give it now.

Now or Never.

"King Rhaegar Targaryen."

She said and moved with the girl.

The girl, who hated the Dragons.

The End

GOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOT

YES! My lords and Ladies, I'm a terrible person, for what I have done is unforgiveable. Send me to The Wall if you may. I have misspelled some names. Yes I did. But please for once be kind to me, As it was just the typo.

Also

I have changed the name of a dragon. AND not any Dragon, but our favorite one. Drogon. I have changed it, if some of you may have noticed in the previous chapters. But C'mon guyz, This version of Dany has never met Khal Drogo in her life, so how can she name her dragon after him?

But as it may, I beg your pardon and would take extra care next time for typos (The dragon's name is not going to be changed).

Also a Disclaimer Ahead!

I do not own any of these characters. Long live the GRRM.

Be happy!

Please Review.

GOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOTGOT


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